25 Biblical Roles for Biblical Women

Some Christians have a narrow view of what godly women can be and can do. They believe their view is based on what the Bible shows us about women. They have even named their view “Biblical Womanhood”. These Christians seem to think that godly women are limited to being wives and mothers and homemakers. Or, at the very least, they think that these are the primary, and most important, roles for women. Is this what the Bible really shows us?

The following list is of roles and activities of real-life Bible women, roles other than that of wife and mother. I am not making any recommendations or judgements one way or the other about these roles and activities. All I hope to show is that they are “biblical” and that not all Bible women were as restricted – or as passive – as we are sometimes led to believe. It is important to note that all these women are spoken about positively in the Bible, no matter what we might think of them or their actions.

(4) Dress like a prostitute and have sex with your father-in-law so that you can have legitimate children . . . and be praised for it: Tamar, an ancestor of Jesus Christ (Gen. ch. 38, esp Gen. 38:26; Ruth 4:12; Mat. 1:3).

(5) Commit treason against your own people in order to help Israel, and cut a shrewd deal to rescue your family: Rahab (Josh. 2:1ff; 6:22-25). (More about Rahab here.)

(22) Have theological discussions with Jesus about worship and the resurrection, etc: the Samaritan woman, the first indigenous Samaritan evangelist (John 4:19-25, 39) and Martha (John 11:20-27). (More here and here.)

(23) Travel with Jesus and support his ministry from your own resources: Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna, etc (Luke 8:1-3 cf Matt. 27:55-56). (More on the many Galilean women who traveled with Jesus here.)

(24) Be a co-worker and labourer in the gospel with Paul: Euodia, Syntyche, Junia, Phoebe, Tryphena, Tryphosa, Persis, etc. (More on the women associated with Paul here and here.)

(25) Host and run a house church: Lydia, the first Christian convert in Europe (Acts 16:40), Nympha (Col 4:15), Priscilla with Aquila (1 Cor. 16:19), the Chosen Lady (2 John 1ff). (More about these women here.)

Our culture and customs in western society today are vastly different to the culture and customs of the Ancient Near East and Greco-Roman world of Old and New Testament times. Differences in culture are factors that must be considered when trying to extract biblical principles from the text for application today. Not everything that was done in the Bible has a universal, timeless, or useful application.

What is a timeless principle is that both men and women should be taking their lead from Jesus. We should be emulating his character, displaying and using the fruit and gifts of his Holy Spirit in order to actively bless our families and the church, and to further God’s kingdom. Moreover, we should be doing this in a broad variety of ways. We should be careful that we don’t limit and stifle people or promote passivity.

I am not a biblical woman. I am a follower and servant of Jesus Christ, and I am being conformed more and more into his image. Bible women are not my primary role models – Jesus Christ is.

What are some other roles and activities of biblical women that can be added to this list?

Addendum: Here is another biblical role of women that has been suggested in the comments section.

(26) Forget about the cooking and serving (the less necessary things) and sit at Jesus’ feet with the other disciples learning about the Kingdom of God (the better, more necessary thing): Mary of Bethany (Luke 10:38-42; see also John 12:3). (More about Mary of Bethany here.)